School bus driver was suspended a day after altercation with pupil

A Richmond County school bus driver was suspended one day for shoving a pupil into his seat and choking him, according to records released this morning.

Donald Bonvillain, 54, of Blythe lost his composure when a fight broke out on his bus Nov. 5, Superintendent Dana Beddens Jan. 6 letter states.

At one point, the pupil -- who was only identified by his initials -- pushed the driver. Mr. Bonvillain responded by pushing him into a seat, falling on top of him. According to witnesses, the drivers hands ended up around the Morgan Road Middle School pupils neck.

The pupil, 14, was punished for his role in the incident by being given an option of suspension for the remainder of the school year or attending the alternative school, which he chose.

The incident wasnt the first time Mr. Bonvillain has been in trouble with the school system. Dr. Beddens letter states that less than a year ago a complaint was made that he popped a student on the back of the head, while referring to him with a dismissive name.

According to his personnel file, Mr. Bonvillain also received a letter of reprimand and was suspended 10 days in 1996 for referring to students using a racially derogatory term when students wouldnt be quiet as directed.

He claimed that he referred to them as instigators.

In 1998, he was suspended again. This time, it was five days for receiving a speeding ticket.

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Give him a raise if you ask me. I woulda turned that kid over my knee and given him a real reason to try and push an adult - disrespectful brat!! Punish the parents too for raising such a brat and suspend him off the bus until he graduates HS.

Aug350, have you been around middle school and high school children lately when their parents are not around or even when some parents are around. Apparently you have not encountered some these kids with their behavior problems with their lack of respect for authority or an adult. Some of these children are really off the chain with their mouths as well as their actions. It is just down right ridiculous and when you take them back to the schools, nothing is done.

I have lived in several cities in the north, and until I moved south, I had never seen or heard of anything like this in my life.Who would, in their right mind expect the bus driver to drive, and supervise thirty or forty kids on a bus.In most cities, there are two bus monitors on each bus, they monitor the kids, and the driver drive the bus. That is why I say the south is so far behind most states, that when they catch up, the world will be coming to an end...

Where i commend the bus driver for taking action, I do not agree with the action. He could have stopped the bus and called the police and had the child arrested. Let the parents go to the police station and retrieve the criminal child who has endangered the lives of the students on the bus.

i know wut it is rap lyrics are raising the kids.now he can write a song to what he did, probably would go like this " i wuz on the bus the other day... told the punk a** bus driver stay outta my way cause i'm a real a** ni**a" . know it souns stupid but its real.

The difference in kids "nowadays" and us back then is that when we got in trouble at school, we got paddled by the principal or spanked by the teacher. Then we got our butts torn up at home. Nowadays kids (not ALL kids) do not get disciplined -- it's "time-out" if anything -- what a joke! I guarantee that if these unruly students knew that they would get paddled at school and whipped at home, they wouldn't act up. These students exhibit no self-control and there are NO CONSEQUENCES to their behaviors, at home or at school. "Alternative school?" Whatever! He'll be back next year with the same behaviors, only worse. And it's always the teacher's fault or the bus drivers fault because NO ONE wants to take responsibility!!!!

Wonder iwho reported this? If the student or driver? Perhaps the student, now he will be in a alternative school, wonder if he prior discipline situations? That was not reported! I agree, driving a bunch of kids that are disrespectful is crazy! Obama, reform education like you promised, place a monitor on each bus! And stimulate the economy with jobs!

Way to go bus driver. Beat him.I would of choked him too. You hate that it has come to this but these kids are out of control and half the time the parents are not involved. Kudos bus driver. The drivers should have monitors or something. Its hard to drive and talk on a cell. What about drive and be the momma/daddy to 30 -40 kids. Stopping every 15 minutes or so.

He should have kicked all students involved off of the bus. Let their ignorant little behinds walk home. Of course he couldn't do that because he would have endangered the well-being of innocent young teens when they got lost on the way back to Cherry Tree.

amgibson what a idiot bigot and racist you are. This happen no where near cherry tree. So [filtered word] are you talking about. And there are bad kids these days just as there were when we were growing up. But some of you people crack me up about all teenagers doing this or that. There are alot of teenagers doing positive things whether the news shows it or not. And im not even going to comment on the rap lyrics. Spin is just another racist.

Aug 350--looks like a lot of "idiots" like me commented on this one. What's idiotic about commending a guy for doing a job that most people could not handle? I can't tell from the story if they were on the way to school or going home from school. If in the morning, running back to school wouldn't make much sense--they would not have been there yet. Sure, mixing it up with a middler schooler is not the "adult" thing to do, but running back to school may not have been either. Also, name-calling isn't very adult.

And don't give me the crap about parents. You don't even know this boy's parents. We all know as teenagers our parents told us not to do certain things and we didnt listen. Its called growing up. How many preacher's and principal's kids act out all the time.

Some of the comments are advocating violence against children. The Bus Driver should have to be an advocate for children not some brute; calling them names and choking them. I don't understand why the parents have not had him arrested! The BdOf Ed wants to take me to court because my child has been tardy because the bus was LATE. It is fine for the Bus Driver to brutalize the children on his bus and then brag about it. They probably exchange techniques on the various "choke holds" to use on the kids. The students should be respectful of the Bus Driver and the Bus Driver should be respectful of the children. Why isn't the District Attorney getting involved with this violence against the children of Augusta, GA? The youth in this case gets to go to Bungalow Rd but, the Bus Driver gets a one-day suspension. I thought the penalties should increase with the number of infractions, NOT decrease.

That's what is wrong with the kids today- they need their behinds busted! We don't see a lot of disipline these days. Remember the days when you would get a paddling in school? Kids back then weren't near as bad as they are these days! Raves for the bus driver!!!!

So what do you suppose adults do? Sit back and let some punk kid(s) lay hands on them? If you're big enough to step into an adult's shoes and go toe to toe with them - then you shouldn't expect to get treated with kid gloves. In other words.....if you can't hang with the big dogs then stay on the porch! (and learn some manners and respect while you're at it)

Concerned Parent "I don't understand why the parents have not had him arrested!" When was the last time you were on a bus or in a school classroom? The driver did overreact but the child's actions are inexcusable. This generation today is an entirely different crew. I have seen and heard what children of this generation do first hand. I would challenge you to spend a day as a bus driver on a similar route or walk the halls of any public school and see for yourself what is happening with this generation.